The Downside of Free Will
by Ruon jian
Summary: "What if that isn't enough Cole; I know Leo loves me but what if he chooses being an Elder over me, us, our family? What do I do then Cole?"-"Then you keep on going Piper." Seven Year Witch AU. Leo chooses the Elders over his family and changes the lives and destinies of the Charmed One's forever.


Summary: AU of Seven Year Witch. What if Leo had chosen the Elders instead of his family while on his quest?

**A/N:**___Starts in the middle of Seven Year Witch, Piper and Cole are in the Cosmic Void. Phoebe and Paige are looking for Leo. Drake is looking for a solution at the Manor and Leo is riding with Odin._

_**Disclaimer:**__ I don't own charmed it belongs to Spelling Productions and Brad Kern._

**Chapter 1**

**Piper: **And what happens when that doesn't work? What happens when he doesn't feel this psychic jolt? Then I'm just plain dead. I can't take that chance. Besides, my sisters will figure out a way to save me. They always do.

"**Cole: **But then you risk losing Leo and your boys for good. Can you take that chance? Piper listen I'll be the first to admit that I have an ulterior motive but I'm honestly not just doing this for Phoebe I'm doing this for you and Leo as well, because I believe your love is strong enough to withstand the Elder's test.

[Cut to Odin and Leo.]

**Odin: **Your destiny lies ahead of you. (He sees Phoebe coming towards them.) Which way is it gonna be?

**Leo: **Let's go.

(Odin slaps Leo's leg.)

**Odin: **You've made the right decision.

(Phoebe and Paige open the door.)

**Paige: **Oh, Leo. Thank god.

**Leo: **Sorry. Do I know you?

**Phoebe: **(To Odin) What are you doing here, and what did you do to Leo?

**Male Elder: **We let destiny run its course, and so should you.

(He grabs Leo and orbs out.)

[Scene: Manor. Parlor. Paige, Phoebe, and Drake orb in.]

**Paige: **Piper?

**Drake: **I got to you as soon as I could.

**Phoebe: **The damn Elders. None of this would be happening if they didn't take Leo.

**Paige: **Okay, you know what? You're right. We have to get the Elders down here. They're the only ones who can help now.

**Drake: **That won't do any good. Even if they heal her body, only Leo can heal her soul.

**Paige: **Well, unfortunately, Leo chose the Elders over Piper. It's not like we can get him here and force him to remember his wife.

**Cole: **But you can. And you'd better do it fast. Trust me. It's your only hope and his. Your destiny is with Leo. You need to learn to trust that.

**Piper: **What if that isn't enough Cole; I know Leo loves me but what if he chooses being an Elder over me, us, our family? What do I do then Cole?

(Cole walks towards Piper grips her by the shoulder and looks her in the eyes.)

**Cole: **Then you keep on going Piper.

**Piper:** But…

**Cole:** No buts Piper, you have to keep going for your children. You have to keep going for Wyatt and Chris. Piper Listen a parent's love for a child is the strongest form of love there is, my father's love for me is the reason I stayed let alone survived in the Underworld as long as I did. Every time I tried to get away they reminded me that they held my father's soul and that one thing always brought me back. The only seed of good in me was planted by my father and sustained by his love. Piper… if and that's a big if, if Leo doesn't come back for you I'll do everything in my power to make sure you return to those kids of yours.

(Piper looks at herself and turns into white orbs and moves back into her body.)

**Phoebe: **This can't be a dead end.

**Paige: **You know what? Let me double-check the book.

**Drake: **I was very thorough. There's nothing there.

(Piper gasps.)

**Phoebe: **What? What was that?

**Piper: **Leo.

**Phoebe: **Wait. I know what to do. Orb me to the bridge.

**Paige: **No, she just woke up. We can't just leave her.

**Drake: **I'll stay with her. You go work on her spirit.

**Phoebe: **Bridge, now!

(Phoebe and Paige orb out. Drake runs upstairs.)

**Cole: **You can do it, Piper.

[Scene: Golden Gate Bridge. Paige and Phoebe orb in.]

**Phoebe: **Look, we know you have Leo! Bring him down here now. (Male Elder and Leo orb in.) Leo, Piper's dying. You have to come with us.

**Leo: **I'm sorry. Who?

**Odin: **He doesn't know who she is or who you are.

**Paige: **You did this to him.

**Odin: **Leo has chosen his own path.

**Phoebe: **By you leading him there? How is this a fair test?

**Odin: **Some things are so important that they cannot be left to chance.

**Paige: **You need to come home now because Piper needs you.

**Leo: **Well, I'm there for all those in need.

**Paige: **Look, this is not a test.

**Odin: **He's made his own decision. It's done.

**Phoebe: **No, it's not done. Leo and Piper are still in love. You can erase his memory, but you can't erase that. It'll seep into his consciousness until he remembers.

**Odin: **I know this is a great loss for you and that you're going to need time to mourn.

**Phoebe: **No. We won't. Because he's not gonna leave. You can't take him away from Piper. (Leo looks away.) Look, their love is true. Its true love, and it's bigger than you and—and the Elders and all of this.

[Cut to Manor. Piper gasps.]

**Piper: **Leo.

[Cut to Golden Gate Bridge. Leo hears Piper. Leo closes his eyes and falls to his knees. Leo grasps his head and screams as memories flash through Leo's mind. ]

[Leo remembers Meeting Piper. Leo remembers becoming a Whitelighter.]

[Cut to Piper. She gasps for breath.]

[Cut to Leo. Leo remembers his and Piper's wedding. Leo remembers helping his first charge.]

[Cut to Piper. She falls unconsciousness and her hand falls.]

**Cole:** Dammit Leo!

[Cut to Leo. Leo remembers the births of his sons. Leo remembers becoming an Elder]

**Leo: **(Whispers) Piper.

**Phoebe: **Leo? (Leo stands up on shaky legs and looks toward the sisters to Odin and back toward the sisters.) Leo, what are you doing?

**Paige: **Leo?

**Leo: **(Leo walks towards Elder Odin. Leo turns toward Phoebe and Paige and sighs.) I love Piper and the boys but they'll survive without me just as you survived without your father. Being an Elder is my calling, tell Piper and the boys that I'll always love them, all of you but I've made my choice.

**Phoebe & Paige:** Leo, wait!

**Odin:** (Grasps Leo's shoulder) Destiny has spoken Leo Wyatt has chosen to remain an Elder. Shall we go Elder Leonardo?

**Leo:** Yes, you girls should go to Piper she needs you

[Cuts to Piper, her breathing has slowed. Her spirit starts to separate from her body as her breathing stops completely.]

**Cole:** Piper remember what I said; think of Victor, think of Patty, think of Penny, think of Prue, think of Phoebe and Paige, think of Chris, think of Wyatt.

(Piper's breathing restart's and her spirit and body remerge as Wyatt orbs into the room.)

(Wyatt walks to where his mother is and looks at the spot where Cole is in the room.)

Cole: Go on Wyatt heal mommy, go on.

Wyatt's hands begin to glow with golden light.

Paige and Phoebe orb from the bridge into the manor with saddened stricken expressions.

**Drake: **You're too late. (He stands up to show Wyatt healing Piper.) Wyatt already healed her.

**Paige: **Wyatt?

**Phoebe: **Thank god.

(Piper sits up and smiles.)

**Piper: **Good job, baby.

(Phoebe sits as Paige goes to stand by Piper.)**Paige: **Ah, okay. How did you know he could do that?

**Drake: **I didn't. Leo did. He even put it in the book. (Piper smiles sadly.) Looks like you got a second-generation Whitelighter on your hands.

**Phoebe: **Did you heal your mommy? You're such a big boy. I'm so proud of you.

(Phoebe kisses Wyatt's hands.)

**Paige:** *Sighs* Piper we sorta have some bad news. It's about Leo you see the Elders…

**Piper: **I know Leo chose the Elders over us Paige and this time there's no one we can blame other than him.(Piper picks up Wyatt. She sets him on her lap.) But even as I felt him choose the Elders I remembered the rest of my family and how much they love me and that even if their father isn't there for them the least I can do is give my son's a mother.

**Drake:** I don't understand if Leo chose to stay an Elder then what kept you from moving on in the first place.

**Piper:** What do you mean?

**Drake:** I mean that you just had a near death experience something that in most cases causes an out of body experience. Meaning something or someone else had to have helped you get back to your body in the first place.

(Wyatt reaches towards Cole as he fades away)

**Piper: **I had a good coach, an old friend. (Piper stands up holding Wyatt. And starts to walk upstairs) Come on buddy I haven't spent time with you or your brother all day and I want to spend time with my two big boys.

[Scene: Magic School. Drake is reading a book.]

**Drake: **'Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore, so do our minutes hasten to their end'.

**Phoebe: **I'm gonna miss Shakespeare.

**Drake: **Mm, that's why I left you this. (He gives her the book.) The complete works to peruse at your leisure.

**Phoebe: **Thank you. I can't believe it's been three weeks already. I mean, so much has happened.

**Drake: **I know. It's been such a whirlwind. The burlesque, huh? Big fan. Sherwood Forest. I mean, come on. Hold the tights. Thank you very much, and a real life Romeo and Juliet.

**Phoebe: **That's just a typical week for us.

**Drake: **What do you expect? Come on. You're Charmed.

**Phoebe: **Mm, you really helped me move on. Thank you.

**Drake: **Are you kidding? Thank you. I couldn't think of a better day to die.

**Phoebe: **Mm.

**Drake: **Sorry. I also helped you find love, didn't I?

**Phoebe: **Mm.

**Drake: **Come on. I did, didn't I? (She shrugs.) Come on. I did. I did.

(She smiles.)

**Phoebe: **Yeah. You did.

**Drake**: But…

**Phoebe:** I mean I believe in love again sure but what's the point if the one you love is going to leave you anyway. If Piper and Leo couldn't stay together after all they've been through what chance do the rest I have.

**Drake:** I hate to say it Phoebe but the point of the test was so that Leo could choose free of any obligations and he did just that and in that choice lies the greatest and worst part of love, Free will. Nothing makes you feel worse than knowing someone is with you only out of obligation and the greatest feeling in the world is looking in another's eyes and knowing that they chose you. That's why Piper isn't as bad as I heard she was during the battle with the Titans, because she knows that this was Leo's choice and because she loves him she's trying to respect his choice, get it.

Phoebe: Yeah, I think I understand.

**Drake: **Whoo, close one. If that doesn't get me in heaven, I don't know what will.

**Phoebe: **I'll never forget what you did for me. I guess I fell for the right guy this time.

**Drake: **'Parting is such sweet sorrow'. He was right. I never knew what that meant till right now.

**Phoebe: **I just, I have to ask you one question, okay? How is it that you came into my life at the exact right time?

**Drake: **Oh, a little bird told me. Come on. What's magic without a little mystery? Right. Travel checklist. Uh, leave reference books for next instructor, bring a little wisdom to some young minds, save epic love…bask in your loving gaze. Yeah, that about covers it. (He sighs.) Alas, pumpkin time. No need you watching my messy demise. (Drake gets up. Phoebe pulls him back down. They kiss.) (Whispers) Think of me when you dance.

(He gets up and leaves. The door closes behind him.)

**Phoebe: **I'll miss you.

[Cut to Drake. He walks in, rubbing his neck.]

**Cole: **You did good.

(Cole appears.)

**Drake: **Thanks. So did you. I couldn't have tasted life unless you set me up with that sorcerer. I just wish I could save you, too.

**Cole: **I've come to terms with my fate, especially now that I know it won't be Phoebe's, too.

**Drake:** So that was a pretty bold move sending in those thorn demons.

**Cole: **Well, I had to risk everything for this one. And while it didn't pan out the way any of us wished I think things went pretty well in the end.

**Drake: **Understandably. (The clock chimes midnight.) Oh well. Here I go. (Drake starts to glow with a golden light.)

**Cole: **Don't be so sure of that.

**Drake:** (Drake stops glowing and gasps). What was that, why aren't I dead?

**Cole:** That was a favor I called in after I left earlier. You are now just as you were before a mortal with demonic powers.

**Drake:** How? Why?

**Cole:** At one point an Angel of Destiny offered everyone involved with the vanquishing of The Source an reward seeing as at that point I wanted nothing but Phoebe I told them to leave and that I would find them when I had need of them and their favor and today happened to be that day. I mean, after everything the girls went through today at least one of them needed something to be happy about, and if anybody deserved a second chance at life it was you.

**Drake:** I don't know what to say. Cole, thank you.

**Cole: **Well,if it's any consolation, you did all that I asked for. You saved Phoebe.

**Drake: **I did more than that, buddy. I fell in love with her.

**Cole: **Understandably.

**Drake: **Farewell, my friend.

(Cole vanishes just as the doors open and Phoebe steps out.)

**Phoebe:** (Sees Drake) Drake? But I thought…, you should be…, what?

**Drake: **(walks over to and hugs Phoebe). Let's just say I have an guardian angel of my own.

[Scene: Manor. Piper's bedroom, Morning. Piper stretches after getting out of bed]

**Piper:** (looks at the half slept in bed then looks toward the sky.) I hope you're happy with the choice you made, Leo. After all you have your duties… (Chris cries) ...and I have mine.

**A/N:** This was written at three in the morning on the off thought of what would it be like if after all that Leo had chosen the elders and left his family.


End file.
